Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-04-27
THE MONSTER EVIL.

THE MONSTER EVIL.
We desire to submit few reflections for
the consideration of the young men, and as
We wish to speak to them rather than of
them, We will adopt the style Of the second,
instead of the third person.
You've aENTLEMEN:-We hope you will
pardon US for taking the liberty of submit
ting, for your cool, calm and dispassionate
consideration, few thoughts in relation to
a subject which affects you more seriously
and vitality than any other-a subject which
affects you in all the various relations you
sustain to your kindred, your friends, your
country, and your God. There il an evil in
your midst before whose gigantic proper
tions every other dwindles into compare
tive insignifcaHoe an evil which affects
all, the high and the low, the rich and the
poor, the bond and the free, the learned
and the ignorant, the old and the young; an
evil which produces crime, vice, pauperism,
degradation, pollution, misery, wretehed-
ness, disease, madness, and death-yea, an
evil which makes crime more criminal, vice
more vicious, pauperism more haggard and
gaunt, degradation more degraded, pollu-
ton more polluted, disease more sggravat-
ed and dangerous, madness more wild and
horrific. We feel that it is as unnecessary as
it is impossible to give description of this
direful and monstrous evil, as its dark and
hideous image, expressive of all that is ter
rife aad damnable, is impressed by sad OBJ
servation, or sick, sore, and suffering ex-
perience upon every intelligent and reflect
ing mind. We feel that it is needless to de-
scribe that which is already depicted in
characters of woe upon every humane and
sensitive heart. Nor is it necessary to
enumerate the long black catalogue of
eognate and consequent evils which follow
in it's dark, destructive and desolating train;
for they are inscribed upon the domestic
affairs, and recorded, indelibly, in the pri-
vate history of nearly every family. We're
we to describe this evil and its consequences
in a manner SO graphic as to make them
stalk, in all their varied and herrid de-
formities, before your vision, it would fail
to impress you with that crushing force felt
by those who have suffered by them at the
mere mention of the name which designates
the parent evil-INTEMPERANC No
additional horrer, no darker feature, no
worse character can be given to it; unde-
scribed, it is best described.
No good citizen, we think, can reflect q
moment upon the enormous and incalcula-
Bile evils which this monster vice en-
tails upon his country, his fellow citizens
and himself, without desiring to see it re-
moved. When he reflects upon the fate of
the 30, 600, within the United States alone,
who annually fill the drunkard's dishonorsd
grave-when he thinks of the misery o.
casioned by the 500, 900 drunkards who are
at this time visiting upon their wives,
nj oiSto &C.
sons, and brothers all the innumerable and
incompatible evils consequent upon their
intemperance-when he estimates the 500,
600, 900 which are lost every year to the Uni
ted States by the use of sPirituous liquors as
beverage-when he looks to the prisons,
poor-houses, lunatic asylums and peniten-
tiaries, and sees that about three fcurths Of
his taxes are paid for the support, and in
prosecution of the crimes of the unfortunate
victims of intemperance he must if he have
heart in his bosom susceptible Of phil
anthropic and patriotic emotion, ardently
and earnestly desire to see this evil Danish
ed forever from the confines of his much
beloved country. He will feel that intem-
perance is tho toulest blot upon our nation
al escutcheen, and will dc all that he can
to erase it. He will use, unremittingly, his
most energetic exertions to induce the citi-
zens of his State to free her from the dis
graceful thraldom of this perniciOus and de-
structive vice, and will ardently hope to see
her noble example followed by her sister
States.
MORAL sUAsIoN, in melting and be-
seeching tone, and in mild and persuasive
accents, has earnestly striven to arrest the
progress Of the desolating tide of intern
perance which rells its pestilential flood
over our land-presenting the horrifying
and notwithstanding spectacle of an inunda-
ton crimsoned with the blood of innocence,
bearing upon its bosom the shattered frag-
ments of wrecked and ruined characters,
the overthrow and broken affairs Of domes-
tic peace and happiness, blighted hopes and
withered affections, with every surge, as it
breaks upon the shore, emitting deep
toned moan, composed of the shrieks of
agony, of the wall of sorrow, of the cry Of
anguish, and the sigh of distress, thus toll
ing in keart-rending and soul subduing
voice the funeral dirge Of the countless thou
sands Of the loved and lost. Neral suasion
has accomplished much-it has struck the
harp Of sympathy and found a cheering
response in every feeling heart-it has plead
ed for the unfortunate victims of intemper-
ance until every good bosom throbs for
their deliverance-it has depicted the evils
of ihtsmperance in terms of elequence and
power, and every candid and honest mind as
sents to the correctness of it's dilineation-it
has demonstrated, by fair and logical reason
ing, the Traffic in Spirituous Liquors to be
''evil, and only evil, and that continually"
80 clearly and satisfactorily that every rea-
sonable mind, unblinded by prejudice and
interest, must acknowledge the correctness
of the conclusion.
Whether you view this subject as a Phi
lanthropist, an Economist, Patriot, or a
hlistian, you cannot fail to find controll-
ing motive for doing all you can to Danish
this monster evil from your State.
PHILANTHROPY, with heart oppressed
with sorrow, and wrung with anguish,
and melting with compassion, points to the
broken hearted wives and helpless orphans
the agonized mothers and distressed sisters
and daughters, the ruined fathers, hus-
bands, SONS and brothers, and petitions you,
with fearful eyes and voice tremulous
with heartfelt emotions, to remove this
dread evil from yeur State.
ECONOMY, more sad at the loss of dol
lar, than at the sacrifice of peace and hapPi-
ness-more affected by the musical jingle
of money, than by the wall of distress
with an unpitying heart but calculating
head, demonstrates, with the accuracy of
mathematics, the pecuniary loss which this
evil entails upon the State, and calls upon
YOU as you desire light tares and a full
treasury. to Danish it.